READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - LINE CHANGE (Portland Timberwolves, #4) by AJ Alexander

Line Change
Portland Timberwolves, #4
by AJ Alexander
January 21st 2026

A reckless rookie. A PR intern with everything to lose. One team, one secret, and one fake romance that feels way too real.

Hockey has always come easy to me. I know how to charm the media, light up the ice, keep the world guessing. But none of that matters when Alycia Torres, the one girl I can’t forget, looks right through me like I’m a stranger.

She doesn’t remember that night in college, when everything between us burned fast and bright. But when we get stuck in an elevator and she offers me fifty bucks to fake being her boyfriend at a family dinner, I take the deal with a wink and a kiss on the cheek.

She figures I’ll vanish after dessert, just another harmless flirt she’ll never have to think about again… until I walk into her office the next morning as the Timberwolves’ newest rookie and her PR department’s biggest complication.

Now we’re pretending to be a couple for her mom, dodging rumors in the media, and trying to keep our hands to ourselves while working side by side. And the more time we spend together, the more the lines start to blur.

But secrets don’t stay secret forever.

And if mine comes out, it won’t just wreck my shot with Alycia, it’ll shatter them.

I didn’t come to Portland for hockey, or even for my brothers. I came for her.

And I’m not sure I’ll survive it if I lose her all over again.

Perfect for fans of:
✔️ Fake dating with way too many real feelings
✔️ Forced proximity, secret pining, and PR disasters
✔️ The reckless rookie who’s more than his swagger
✔️ Brotherly chaos, found family, and messy growth
✔️ Emotional slow burns with swoony payoff
✔️ ALL OF THE YEARNING!!!

Line Change is book 4 in the Portland Timberwolves series. Each book in this small town, professional hockey series can be read as a standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after. For content warnings and bonus material, visit the author's website.

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . LINE CHANGE (Portland Timberwolves, #4) . . .  🏒 A Rookie with a Reckless Heart!

AJ Alexander hits the ice with another absolute winner! Line Change is a masterclass in the fake-dating trope, blending the high-stakes world of professional hockey with the cozy, messy charm of a small town. If you’re a fan of "all the yearning" and a hero who is far more than his swagger, this Portland Timberwolves installment is going to be your new obsession.

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⛸️ Fake Dating and Real PR Disasters

Alycia Torres is a PR intern with everything to lose. When she gets stuck in an elevator with a handsome stranger and offers him fifty bucks to play her boyfriend at a family dinner, she thinks it’s a one-and-done deal. Little does she know, that "stranger" is Caleb, the reckless rookie she once shared a "fast and bright" night with in college—a night she doesn't even remember.

The tension reaches a fever pitch when Caleb walks into her office the next morning as the Timberwolves' newest player. Now, they are forced to maintain the charade for her family while dodging media rumors and working side-by-side. Caleb didn't come to Portland just for hockey or his brothers; he came for her, and watching him pine while they pretend is pure emotional gold.

🌎 Diversity and Real-World Romance

One of the reasons I absolutely love AJ Alexander is her ability to craft romance that reflects the real world. Her stories aren't one-sided; they are a beautiful mix of races, cultures, and economic backgrounds. She shows the world that beauty truly comes in all shades and shapes, and the chemistry she writes is always electric and authentic. This isn't just a hockey book—it’s a celebration of found family and messy, beautiful growth.

✨ Why This Book Earns the GW (Goal Win):

• All the Yearning: Caleb’s secret pining for Alycia is heart-wrenching in the best possible way.

• The "Fake" Dynamic: Watching the lines blur between their public act and their private feelings is incredibly swoony.

• Small Town Meets Pro Sports: It perfectly balances the tight-knit community feel with the glitz of the NHL.

• The Secret: The looming reveal of Caleb’s true reasons for being in Portland adds a layer of suspense that keeps you turning pages.

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My Final Verdict

Line Change is an emotional slow burn with a massive payoff. AJ Alexander continues to be a standout author for her inclusive, heartfelt, and steamy storytelling. Whether you’re here for the "brotherly chaos" or the "forced proximity," Caleb and Alycia will win your heart. It’s a five-star play all the way! 🏒🔥⛸️

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Small town romance Romance Entertaining Great world building Easy-to-read Wonderful characters Realistic

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READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - LIGHTING THE LAMP (Portland Timberwolves, #3) by AJ Alexander

I can’t stop looking at her like she’s the only thing keeping me upright.

Lighting the Lamp, an all-new childhood friends to lovers, slow burn, small town hockey romance and the third standalone book in the Portland Timberwolves Series from USA Today bestselling author AJ Alexander is now available!

BLURB

I’ve always known exactly who I was: the calm and steady one. The goalie with the best save percentage in the league. The Hendrix brother who never let anyone down. Until my body stopped playing by the rules and suddenly, I’m the one who needs saving.

I came home to heal, not to fall for Alise Moore.

My childhood best friend. The girl who’s always been my safe place. The one person I’ve never had to pretend with.

But now we’re older. Everything’s messier. And I can’t stop looking at her like she’s the only thing keeping me upright.

She’s soft where the world’s been sharp. Quiet, but never weak. And when she looks at me like I’m still whole, even when I don’t feel like it, I start to wonder if maybe I could be.

Hockey was always the plan.

But Alise Moore?

She’s the reason I’ll fight to stay standing. 

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . THE LIGHTING THE LAMP (Portland Timberwolves, #3) . . . Healing Friends-to-Lovers Story That Proves Childhood Love is the Only Safe Place

The Goalie Who Fell

If you love your sports romance with deep, gut-wrenching vulnerability and a love that acts as a lifeline, then Lighting the Lamp is the book that hits the net. This installment is an exquisitely painful and perfectly satisfying childhood best friends, wounded hero story that reminds us why the entire Portland Timberwolves family is pure fire. 🔥 We know these heroes, and watching Beau fall is the most intense ride yet.

The hero, Beau—the calm, steady goalie who never let anyone down—always knew who he was. Until his body betrayed him. When he comes home, the trauma of his injury brings the intense vulnerability we've come to expect from the Hendrix brothers. You will feel every single agonizing moment as he struggles to feel whole again.

He came home to heal, not to fall for Elise Moore. But Elise, his childhood best friend and the one person he’s never had to pretend with, becomes his quiet, non-negotiable anchor. The transition from "safe place" to passionate lover is messy, intense, and wonderfully complex. You'll absolutely love the familiar back and forth trash talking between them—it’s hilarious and perfectly shows their lifelong bond and easy chemistry. And, of course, the heart and wisdom provided by mama is exactly the grounding force these men need.

This is the kind of powerful, adult romance we crave. The stakes are immense, but watching Beau realize that his fight to stand tall isn't for hockey anymore—it's for Elise—is the kind of emotional payoff that makes this series unbeatable. Prepare for high angst, stunning chemistry, and an HEA that is fiercely earned within the love of this unforgettable hockey family.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Entertaining Great world building Wonderful characters Page-turner Easy-to-read Romantic Hockey (Should I say more)

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/45ZAZx3   

Add Lighting the Lamp to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/ltlpt3gr  

For more information about AJ Alexander and her books, visit her website: 

https://www.authorajalexander.com

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READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - CHEAP SHOT (Portland Timberwolves, #2) by AJ Alexander

 Coach has one rule: don’t touch his daughter

Cheap Shot, an all-new brother’s best friend, single mom, small town, hockey romance from USA Today bestselling author AJ Alexander is now available!

BLURB

After a heartbreaking loss in the Western Conference Championship, I’m stuck with an ultimatum: play for the Timberwolves or kiss my professional hockey career goodbye. Left with no other option, I move back to my small town, determined to prove I can make my own way—free from the shadow of my older brother’s success. Then I literally run into Michele Mercer.

Sparks ignite between us the moment I lay eyes on her—frustration and attraction blending into something I can’t ignore. Michele is headstrong, independent, and refuses to take crap from anyone, especially me. But when she’s assigned as my physiotherapist, I think I’ve found my chance—until I discover she’s the coach’s daughter and completely off-limits.

I should focus on making it into the starting line up. I should remember that the only person I can count on is myself. But the closer I get to Michele, the more I forget everything but her.

Coach has one rule: don’t touch his daughter or you’re off the team. My problem? I can’t stop thinking about her, and the last thing I’m going to do is let her go. 

𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐩 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟐 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞.

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . CHEAP SHOT (Portland Timberwolves, #2) . . . Forbidden Ice: The Coach's Daughter is a Cheap Shot of Undeniable Heat! "There was just something about the coach's daughter that he could not resist or obey a direct order," and this book is a steamy penalty box of forbidden desire! As a fan of hockey romances and AJ Alexander's incredible storytelling, this one delivers on all counts. I especially appreciate how this is another authentic and heartfelt interracial romance. Our hero, a hockey player facing an ultimatum after a heartbreaking loss, moves back to his small town to play for the Timberwolves. He's determined to prove himself, but then he literally runs into Michele Mercer. The spark between them is instant—a blend of frustration and scorching attraction that he can't ignore. Michele is everything the hero needs: headstrong, independent, and unwilling to take crap from anyone. But when she's assigned as his physiotherapist, the stakes get dangerously high. He quickly learns she's the coach's daughter and completely off-limits—with the strict rule: don't touch his daughter or you're off the team. The heat is deliciously palpable as the hero fights his attraction. He should focus on the starting lineup; he should keep his distance. But the closer he gets to Michele, the more he forgets everything but her. The desperate struggle to maintain distance while their passion ignites is absolutely intense. He can't stop thinking about her, and the last thing he's going to do is let her go. This is a must-read, sexy, brother's best friend, single mom romance that proves some rules are meant to be broken.

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://geni.us/cheapshot

Add Cheap Shot to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/cheapshotgr  

For more information about AJ Alexander and her books, visit her website: 

https://www.authorajalexander.com

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READ-2-REVEIW - CONTEMPORARY - A SCORING CHANCE (Portland Timberwolves, #1) by AJ Alexander

  Just one smile from her sets my entire world ablaze.

A Scoring Chance, an all-new small town, interracial, hockey romance from USA Today bestselling author AJ Alexander is now available!

BLURB

After a devastating knee injury puts my professional hockey career on ice, I find myself in the last place I want to be—back in my small hometown, coaching peewee hockey. I’m determined to focus on my comeback—until Ramona King shows up at my first practice.

Just one smile from her sets my entire world ablaze. I want to know everything about her. But there’s a problem. She’s the mother of one of my players and my sister-from-another-mister’s best friend, making her completely off-limits.

I should focus on getting back to my team. I should remember I have no time for anything besides hockey. But the more time I spend with Ramona and her son, the more the lines between what I should do and what I want start to blur.

Hockey has always been my life, but now, all I know for certain is the one thing I won’t do is walk away from her.

 

THE BOOK JUNKIE READS . . . REVIEW OF . . . A SCORING CHANCE (Portland Timberwolves, #1) . . .  Off the Ice and Onto the Heart: A Must-Read Forbidden Hockey Romance!

AJ Alexander hits the back of the net with A SCORING CHANCE, an all-new, deeply satisfying small-town, interracial hockey romance and the start of the Portland Timberwolves series! As a huge hockey fan, I loved diving into this world.

Cooper hendricks, a professional hockey player, is grounded after a devastating knee injury, forcing him back to his small hometown to coach peewee hockey. He's determined to focus on his comeback, but fate has other plans in the form of Ramona King.

“Just one smile from her sets my entire world ablaze.”

Ramona is the mother of one of his players and, complicating things further, she's his "sister-from-another-mister's" best friend, making her completely off-limits. The internal conflict is amazing! He should focus on his career, and he should keep his distance, but the more time he spends with Ramona and her son, the more those lines blur.

I especially love how AJ Alexander crafts real-life couples and mixes cultures in her stories. This connection felt authentic and grounded, adding wonderful depth to the drama. The journey from "off-limits" to undeniable is intense and heart-melting. He realizes that while hockey has always been his life, the one thing he won't walk away from is Ramona.

If you love the forbidden romance trope, emotional depth, and watching a professional athlete find love and new purpose in a small town, then A SCORING CHANCE is the perfect game-winner!

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ZPymtJ 

Add A Scoring Chance to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/ascagr  

For more information about AJ Alexander and her books, visit her website: 

https://www.authorajalexander.com

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READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - LOVE YOU ALWAYS by AJ Alexander

A woman who’s waiting for her love to return home …

A man who doesn’t believe he deserves her.

Love You Always, an all-new brother’s best friend, age-gap, small town romance from USA Today bestselling author AJ Alexander is now available!

I’ve been in love with my brother’s best friend, Brady Thomas, since I was old enough to know what love was.  It didn’t matter that he was older than me or that my brother would disapprove, there was no changing the way that I felt about him.  I planned to keep my feelings a secret, telling myself it was nothing but a silly crush. Then Brady did the unthinkable, he kissed me before leaving without a word.  

That one kiss changed everything. Instead of getting the happily ever after I dreamed of,  I spent months waiting for any hint that our  kiss meant something to him. That he felt something, anything close to what I feel for him, but the only thing I got was the silent treatment.

Now, a little over a year later, Brady is back in town stirring up all the feelings I’ve been trying desperately to forget.  The moment our eyes lock across my brother’s bar I feel the walls around my heart begin to crumble. But I refuse to make the same mistake twice. 

If Brady wants a chance at my heart, then he’s going to have to fight for it.

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . LOVE YOU ALWAYS . . . The Silent Treatment Ends: A Blazing Brother's Best Friend Romance!

Sometimes what you need most is right before your eyes. Sometimes what you can't see will heal you and make you a better person. This rings profoundly true in LOVE YOU ALWAYS, an intense and emotionally charged brother’s best friend, age-gap, small-town romance.

Our heroine has been secretly in love with Brady Thomas, her brother’s best friend, since she was old enough to understand love. Despite the age difference and her brother’s potential disapproval, her feelings were undeniable. The tension comes to a head when Brady breaks his silence—not with words, but with a blazing kiss before leaving town without a word.

That single kiss changed everything, leaving her to spend months waiting for any hint that she mattered to him. Instead, she received the devastating silent treatment. Now, over a year later, Brady is back in town, and the moment their eyes lock across her brother’s bar, all those fiercely suppressed feelings come rushing back.

She refuses to make the same mistake twice. This time, if Brady wants a chance at her heart, he's going to have to fight for it! This is a passionate, second-chance story about a man who believes he doesn’t deserve her finally coming home to face the music and prove that what he felt was real. AJ Alexander delivers a deeply satisfying story of healing, commitment, and the power of finding your forever in the most unexpected—yet closest—place.

Start reading today!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://geni.us/loveyoualways  

Add Love You Always to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/lyagrd    

For more information about AJ Alexander and her books, visit her website: 
https://www.authorajalexander.com

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